NXT star Je’Von Evans received a strong backstage reception after his United States Championship bout against Sami Zayn on the September 26 edition of WWE SmackDown, according to Fightful Select. The match, held at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, marked a major main roster spotlight for Evans.
“Je’Von Evans got a warm reception upon returning backstage.” The reaction came from WWE personnel after his hard-fought contest against the veteran champion.
Earlier in the night, Zayn issued an open challenge. Evans accepted, stepping into the match less than 24 hours before his scheduled clash with Josh Briggs at NXT No Mercy. Briggs was shown in the crowd watching.
The Orlando audience quickly invested in the bout, launching a “This is awesome!” chant. Zayn seized early momentum with an exploder suplex, but Evans fought back, countering a Helluva Kick attempt and landing his OG Cutter for a close near fall.
In the end, Zayn regained control. He connected with a Helluva Kick and followed with a Blue Thunder Bomb to score the pin and retain the championship. After the bell, the champion showed respect to Evans, acknowledging his effort in the high-profile contest.